half hour

noun

1

: thirty minutes

2

: the middle point of an hour

half-hourly

ˈhaf-ˈau̇(-ə)r-lē 

ˈhäf-

adverb or adjective

Examples of half hour in a Sentence

Trains depart every half hour.

I waited a half hour in line.

Recent Examples on the Web

After a half hour, Burden said Conahan gave up on strangling him and left him tied to the tree. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

But the two-and-a-half hours that riders did race that day were held in mid-afternoon temperatures of 41C (107F), official data from Spain’s national meteorological service (AEMET) showed. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The dazzling planet sets 1½ hours after the sun as September starts and only a little more than a half hour after as the month ends. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026

In the first half hour there will be time to socialize, network, visit interest group displays, participate in the raffle, and enjoy refreshments, a news release stated. — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for half hour

• bower
• cower
• dour
• flour
• flower
• fower
• glower
• our
• power
• scour
• shower
• sour

Kids Definition

half hour

noun

1

: thirty minutes

2

: the middle point of an hour

half-hourly

ˈhaf-ˈau̇(ə)r-lē, 

ˈhȧf-

adverb or adjective